Print this page

Bulletins

Geology Major, B.S.

B.S. degree 

Students are encouraged to meet with a departmental advisor once every semester to discuss alignment with their individual goals. Note additional MTH (or STA) and PHY (or CMH) courses strongly recommended for students who plan to go to graduate school. A minor is encouraged but not required.

Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards

  1. In order to declare a Geology major in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, a student must meet with a Geology program advisor and successfully complete GEL 100, or GEL 130, or GEL 101 and GEL 102 with a minimum grade of B-.
  2. In order to remain a major in the Geology program, students are required to maintain a minimum average 2.5 GPA in all of the major courses, including required prerequisite courses in Math, Chemistry, Physics, Meteorology, and Geography. Furthermore, students must meet the following competency qualifications:
    1. Written English Competency: To remain a major or minor in Geology, a student must have scored in at least the 80th percentile group on the university required Written English Competency Examination (CLEP) or earned a minimum grade of B- in English 101. Students not obtaining a minimum grade of B- in English 101 must have earned a minimum grade of B- in English 201. Students should be aware that this is more demanding than the general university competency requirement. Students transferring English competency or English composition course credits from another institution will be expected to meet the same standards required of CMU students.
    2. Oral English Competency: To remain a major or minor in Geology, a student must have earned a minimum grade of B- in COM 101 or one of its accepted substitutes (TAI 302, COM 267, COM 269, COM 357, TAI 170). Students transferring COM course credits from another institution will be expected to meet the same standard required of CMU students.
    3. Math Competency: To remain a major in Geology, a student must have successfully satisfied the CMU Mathematics Competency Requirement. Students transferring MTH course credits from another institution will be expected to meet the same standards required of CMU students.

Program Requirements

Core Courses I (3-4 hours)

Introduction to the Geosciences

Select one of the following options:

Option A (3 hours)

GEL 100Introduction to Earth Systems

3(2-2)

Option B (3 hours)

GEL 130Sustainable Earth: Geology for the 21st Century

3(2-2)

Option C (4 hours)

GEL 101Physical Geology

3(3-0)

GEL 102Physical Geology Laboratory

1(0-2)

Core Courses II (25-27 hours)

Geoscience Fundamentals

GEL 201Earth History

3(2-2)

GEL 270Field Methods

2(0-4)

GEL 277Research and Communication Skills in Geosciences

1(0-2)

GEL 280Geomath

3(2-3)

GEL 310Introductory Mineralogy and Petrology

4(2-5)

GEL 340Stratigraphy and Sedimentology

4(3-3)

GEL 370Structural Geology

3(2-3)

GEL 409/ENS 409Professional Development in the Fields of Environmental Science and Geoscience

1(0-2)

GEL 450Geology Field Camp

4-6(Spec)

Required Courses I (19 hours)

CHM 131General Chemistry I

4(3-3)

GEO 203QRIntroduction to Geographic Information Science

3(2-2)

MET 301Climatology & Climate Change

3(3-0)

MTH 132Calculus I

4(4-0)

PHY 145QRUniversity Physics I

4(4-0)

PHY 175University Physics Laboratory I

1(0-2)

 

Required Courses II (4-5 hours)

Select one of the following options:

Option A (4 hours)

CHM 132General Chemistry II

4

Option B (5 hours)

PHY 146University Physics II

4(4-0)

PHY 176University Physics Laboratory II

1(0-2)

Required Courses III (3-4 hours)

Select one of the following courses:

MTH 133Calculus II

4(4-0)

STA 382QRElementary Statistical Analysis

3(3-0)

Note: In addition, students interested in pursuing graduate school are strongly recommended to take both options listed under Required Courses II and Required Courses III.

Electives (12 hours)

Select four or more of the following courses for a total of 12 hours. Six (6) hours of WI courses are recommended:

ENS 389/GEL 389Well Construction and Design

1(1-0)

GEL 205/GEO 205Oceanography

3(3-0)

GEL 305Engineering Geology

3(2-2)

GEL 308Hydrologic Processes

3(3-0)

GEL 372Introduction to Geophysics

3(2-3)

GEL 375Special Problems in Geology

1-6(Spec)

GEL 380WIHydrogeology

4(3-3)

GEL 385Introductory Petroleum Geology

3(2-2)

GEL 386Subsurface Geological Methods

3(2-2)

GEL 397Independent Study

1-3(Spec)

GEL 406WISenior Thesis

3-6(Spec)

GEL 413Geomorphology

3(2-2)

GEL 420Applied Geostatistics

3(2-2)

GEL 444Preparation for ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology Exam

1(1-1)

GEL 502Geochemistry of Natural Waters

3(2-3)

GEL 509Applied Hydrologic Modeling

3(2-3)

GEL 512Stable Isotope Geochemistry

3(2-3)

GEL 523Advanced Petrology

3(2-3)

GEL 550Economic Geology

3(2-3)

GEL 575Special Topics in Geosciences

1-6(Spec)

GEL 597Advanced Independent Study

1-6(Spec)

GEO 303Geographic Information Systems

3(2-2)

GEO 308Fundamentals of Remote Sensing

3(2-2)

HNS 425Hazardous Materials Technology

3(3-0)

Notes:

  • Additional courses that may be offered as Writing Intensive are: GEL 385, 397, and 523. Check Course Search and Registration for WI sections.
  • Only one of GEO 303 or GEO 308 or HNS 425 may be counted as an elective.
 

Total: 66-71 semester hours